World on a String
by GhostWriterGertrude
Summary: This is a story set just after the cabin scene in Shadow Kiss. Feelings are confronted, discoveries are made, and powerful magic is at work. This was written long before Spirit Bound. Characters are relatively canon, a little fiery, a little jaded. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

"Rose!" A distant voice called. I stopped my trek to the dorms and turned around to see Dimitri jogging towards me from the field.

"Hey, Rose." He greeted when he reached me, placing a warm hand on my shoulder.I relished every touch his large hands could provide. Before my mind wandered, Dimitri asked me a question. A little too wrapped up in my own musings, I requested a repeat.

"W-where are you going for break?" He stuttered out. He was blushing, honest to God rosy cheeked, and looking down at his feet. I was very amused, and he had peaked my interest with his uncharacteristic bashfulness.

"Lissa invited me to go with her and Christian to _Tasha's_ place," I winced out her name. Tasha had basically tried to steal Dimitri from me, and I didn't like her for it. It made me feel guilty, reminding me of all the things I could never give to my boyfriends, like stability, or babies. Things she could give him.

"Oh," He once again interrupted my thoughts.

"Jeez, just spit it out, Comrade."

"Welliwaswonderingifyoudliketogotorussawithmeandmeetmyfamily," He spewed within a single breath. I followed every single word, stunned into silence by the wonderful, honest request coming from the man I loved.

"I mean, of course you'd rather spend it with Lissa, rather than in that cold wasteland as you like to call it. I spoke to Kirova and told her it would be similar to a training exercise, with which she has no problem with. I thought I'd give you the option." He was rambling, and I found the unnecessary insecurity completely adorable.

Before he could even register the action, I pulled him behind a tree and tiptoed to meet his lips. I couldn't reach, though, not without him bending and meeting me, so I stood there awkwardly while he stared. And stared.

"You gonna kiss me now or what, Cowboy."

He leaned down slowly, his dark brown eyes alight with an undeserved adoration as he continued to stare at me. Our lips met briefly at first, until the fire that burned under my skin consumed us. Our mouths moved together in desperate love, my fingers winding through that silky brown hair and pulling out the ponytail. His large hands traveled down my waist, until he halted abruptly.

"Was that a yes?" He questioned uncertainly. I pulled him back down to me in response, kissing for a few more minutes until I pulled away.

"Does that answer your question?" I replied cheekily. His face lit up, though, a beautiful smile that spread until I was grinning back up at him.

He quickly lifted me into his arms and swung me around, ignorant now of the possible onlookers we may have around the campus. Even hidden behind brush and tree, we might have been spied upon. As I glanced around, I saw not a soul in sight, and sighed in relief into Dimitri's broad chest.

I snugged in and allowed myself to doze in his strong arms, aware that he would hold me forever if he could. I was rocked by gentle movements, lulled by the sway of Dimitri's gait and the sounds of the forest that surrounded us.

I consciously remember the opening of a door, and being set down on cold sheets. They were soon warmed, though, by the fire lit and the body that slipped in beside me and held me close.

I barely heard before I completely sank into sleep a soft, reverent, "Thank you, Roza."

I felt the bed jostle and I turned over, trying to slip back into unconsciousness. As I realized I would not achieve such a feat, much to my chagrin, I slowly opened my eyes to the most beautiful sight.

Dimitri gazed down at me, a gentle smile on his face. "Good morning," He greeted. My eyes widened, it couldn't be.

"Is it really morning?" I panicked. Lissa would be expecting me sooner or later if it was past 7 pm. Dimitri shook his head, though, and I relaxed.

"It's only 5," He commented, gazing down at me mischievously. I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Ugh, boys, you only ever have one thing on your minds," I complained lightly, tossing a pillow at him and rolling over in mock protest.

"I've experienced heaven with you once already, you really expect me to forget so soon?"

"It's been a day, Dimitri, I'm sure you've abstained longer than that."

He climbed onto the bed, then on top of me, spreading my legs wide enough for him to kneel between, our epicenters almost in perfect alignment. He brought his face down to mine and skimmed his nose across my neck.

"And I know you've abstained longer. You are all mine, Roza," He began sucking at the tender skin under my chin. I moaned in rapt agreement, my skin suddenly scorching hot, burning eith desire. His mouth moved upwards and met mine in a harmonious affair, all warm and love and passion.

My hips bucked up reflexively, meeting his hardness quickly. I had only ever felt it once, and simultaneously moaned and blushed in pleasure.

When his hips ground down to meet mine again, I stopped, wincing in pain. My grimace must have been obvious, because Dimitri stopped and pulled back to look at me more clearly.

"What's wrong, Roza?" I lowered my eyes, ashamed and so self aware I felt a new burning in my chest, one that made me want to just disappear right then and there.

His fingers gently tilted my chin upwards, so our eyes were eyelevel as he asked again.

"Please, Roza," he begged, "tell me." My eyes wouldn't meet his, my face once again downturned when I replied.

"It's just, I'm a little sore from last time." I shifted uncomfortably in his arms, staring all around the room, anywhere but at him. He tipped my face up again, but I kept my eyes down.

"Please look at me, Roza," He was begging again, I had to meet his gaze. My blushed deepened even more when I saw his soft, understanding brown eyes.

"Roza, don't be embarrassed. Your body went through an enormous change. It's only to be expected." I cracked a weak grin.

"You really think highly of yourself. Enormous, huh?" I retorted halfassedly, touched by his warmth and honesty and adoration. He grinned and met my lips again. I knew he resigned not to anything more than kissing. I was a little upset with that.

"I'm sorry," I said weakly from between kisses.

"Don't be. You're always enough for me."

We continued our exploration of the other's mouth, our hands trailing down eachothers body, wrapped between the warm sheets with the promise of a new day pregnant in the air.

A cough erupted from the other end of the room, purposeful and rude. My heart began pounding, the adrenaline already pumping through my body as I gazed around Dimitri to acknowledge the intruder.

Standing at the doorway, clutching a duffel bag in one hand, the other unwrapping a scarf, stood the raven haired beauty I despised and admired so much.

_Tasha._


	2. Chapter 2

My heart was thundering in my chest, I felt Dimitri's harsh breath over my skin. He was just as nervous, as scared, as me. And that scared me, because Dimitri is not supposed to be scared. He's strong and brave and stabs Strigoi without a second thought.

"I'm… I'm not sure what this is?" Tasha confessed questioningly. Her inky hair contrasted so harshly with the paleness of her face, made even more stark with the shock written in her expression. Her hand gripped the bag tightly. I wasn't sure whether I detected anger, or if it was just me reading too much into everything again.

"Tasha, a moment, please," Dimitri requested quietly. His voice never wavered, and to the untrained ear he may have sounded indifferent. How could he be, though, being caught in bed with a person seven years his junior, by his kind of ex girlfriend who never got over him?

Tasha stepped away from the doorframe outside, gently closing the barrier behind her. Dimitri sighed once again, sitting up in bed and twisting his calloused fingers through the silky locks I loved so much.

I perched next to him, tentatively touching his shoulder. I couldn't help but wonder if this was the shock that would push him away from me, if this meant that he would realize I wasn't worth the trouble. Dimitri's face lifted, his gaze meeting mine.

"I love you," He recited firmly. My entire being lifted in joy. He still did. Tasha couldn't stop love, no one can stop love. It may be irrational and reckless, but since when is Rose Hathaway anything but that.

"I'm coming in," The warning called from outside the door, before it swung open, revealing a now very angry vampire. Her eyebrows were knitted together, her eyes slits, and I was pleased to note it was not a very becoming look on her.

"So Dimka, mind telling me why I just walked in on you and your student?" She accused. Her chin tilted up haughtily, her arms were crossed over her chest in indignation. My breaths were shallow with fear. Tasha Ozera was no Mia, she wasn't a kid who was still growing. She was an accomplished, badass woman who knew how to use her powers and had fought Strigoi. It was terrifying seeing her so livid.

"Tasha, it's not how you think-"

"We love each other," I interjected, hoping to appease her. It didn't work. She threw her head back, her dark hair shimmering in the soft light of dusk, and laughed. It was a loud laugh, brimming with sarcasm.

"I'm sure you would have said the same thing if I walked in on you with Stan." I felt the blow, and it hurt. So the rumours about me were spread all around, I guess. Christian must have told her, it was the only explanation, yet I couldn't believe Christian would still be repeating the lies about me. Not after everything we'd been through together, with Lissa. We didn't get along, but we were a loyal group.

"Those stories aren't true and you know it, Natasha." He stated. I smiled meekly in admiration for his defending of me. The use of her full name only seemed to aggravate the situation.

"Oh, do I? Surely you're not telling me that you don't believe them? That you actually think she loves you? Is that the reason you refused me?"

_No, bitch, he refused you because he didn't want to you. Getting me was just a perk. _My thoughts darkened, becoming nasty and fueled by rage. The images of hurting Tasha were flowing through my mind in rapid succession. Before I could act upon my will, Tasha stormed out abruptly.

Dimitri sunk back into the bed, sighing in defeat. I shifted towards him, my darkness evaporating in favour of comforting the man I loved. Just as I placed my hand over his heart, my silent communication of the love I felt, he sighed and sat up again. His long legs swung over the bed as he got up.

"We should be going back, Rose." No emotion slipped through, his mask was firmly in place.

"Dimitri, no. What if she tells someone? What's going to happen?" I couldn't help but emote my fear.

"I don't know everything, Rose. Let's go." He became harsh, I hated it.

"What's going on? Why are you acting this way?"

He sighed, sitting back on the bed tersely. His hand reached out for mine, encompassing me in his large digits. Sometimes I felt like a child next to him. I _was _a child.

"I'm worried, Roza," He returned back to the petname, "something needs to be done."

"So now what?" I questioned. I was eager to please, and this situation needed to be wrapped up quickly, cleanly, and quietly.

"First things first, we tell the princess."

My heart nearly stopped as I contemplated the reaction of my best friend.

"Is that really safe?" He stared incredulously at my question. True, right now, hiding wasn't really the issue.

"Imagine how she'll feel if she hears it from someone else, after everyone else already know." His statement rang true, yet I dreaded the confession. She would judge me, surely, for being so stupid and falling for my instructor. Not only that, but having sex with him too. And she always questioned why I never dated Mason.

The gravity of my lying and hiding hung heavily on my heart. She would feel so betrayed, I was sure of it.

I swallowed, the knot in my throat and stomach making the action difficult. I nodded in agreement, though.

"I'll need you there." _I need your strength._

"Of course. I'll always be there for you." I couldn't help but contemplate the depth and sincerity of his promise as we trekked back to school. The cabin empty behind us, our fingers loosely tangled. I would hold on to him as long as possible, until we reached the sight of any possible peeking.

"I'm a little scared," I confessed, downplaying my emotions.

He nodded, leaving the silence for a moment before replying. "I am too. But we love each other, and she loves you. This will all be fine. If anything, it should be the least of our worries," He joked at the end. His lightness dulled my worries, it had been such an uncommon reaction from him for so long, I reveled in it.

The school appeared hazily after the tree line, a daunting symbol of our future. Our hands separated unwillingly, not risking discovery any sooner than we could. We walked closely, never touching.


	3. Chapter 3

Our steps on the tiled floors reverberated throughout the hall. Sounds carried unfortunately far in the dorms, it had always been difficult to sneak in or out, and to approach someone's room stealthy was almost impossible. That's why, though we were fifty feet away, Lissa stuck her head out of her room.

"Rose! Where have you been?" She ran to us as quickly as she could, draped in a pink silk night gown, a white negligee peeking out from the top.

"Wow, Liss, you didn't have to dress up for me. Or, should I say, _down?_" She was now standing in front of us, but her eyes were to the ground and a pale pink dusted her cheeks. Moroi never seemed to blush darkly, the lucky bitches.

"Oh, Guardian Belikov, I'm… Oh… Come in, sit down, let me change," She ushered us in and scattered off to her bedroom like a dog with her tail between her legs. Feeling out her mind, I felt her embarrassment and a touch of curiosity at why my mentor was accompanying me everywhere.

"Roza, it's going to be fine," Dimitri's warm fingers stroked my palm, tracing the lines and scars across them. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The anxiety was clenching my chest, bubbling up through my throat.

"Ok, I'm decent, what's up?" Lissa plopped on the love seat across from the couch were Dimitri and I were, now dressed in a cute teal top and skinny jeans. I slid away from Dimitri slowly, and Lissa didn't notice. She was smart, though, and knew something important was going down.

I palmed my forehead and sighed. No words were coming out. "I can leave for a moment, if that makes it easier?" Dimitri questioned quietly.

"No!" I half-yelled, causing an impossible eyebrow raise from both Lissa and Dimitri.

"Oh, God, Rose, what did you do now?!" _I thought you had calmed down, after what happened with Jesse? _

"It's not like that, Liss. I'm not in trouble. Yet." I breathed. Dimitri's leg was bouncing, the only sign of what was going on in his head, but it was moving the couch and really distracting me.

"Dimitri, please!" I gripped his lower thigh, steadying his leg. His hand reached out to pat mine apologetically, and suddenly there was a strange silence in my mind. Lissa's constant buzz of emotions and thoughts were gone.

Her mouth was open as she stared at our hands in shock. My hand was still on Dimitri's leg, and his hand was still on mine. I quickly pulled my hand away and held it up, as if I was approaching a feral dog.

"Look, I can explain-"

"How long?" She whispered

"What?"

"How long have you been together? How long have you been dating?" She whispered again. Her eyes mirrored her sharpened emotions- _betrayal_.

"Oh, I don't know if you'd say we're together, or dati-"

"We've fought it for several months. Nothing was truly official until last week, after the fight with the Zeklos boy," Dimitri confessed. My heart tightened to hear him say that, that we were really together.

"I'm going to make some tea, if that's okay," He added, rising to his full height and walking back to the kitchen.

"You better start explaining. Right. Now." Lissa growled. Now, I've never found her even remotely scary, but her angry expression mixed with the furious emotions pouring off her made her very frightening indeed.

"I've always been attracted to him. From the moment he popped out of nowhere in Portland. It just _escalated_. A few stolen kisses here and there. But after that night, I _love_ him, Liss," I gazed at her pleadingly. And her face softened, and she reached out for me.

"I just don't understand, Rose. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Lissa, you have to understand, I didn't really understand what was going on. He's seven years older than me, he's my instructor, but when we're together, it's just…" I trailed off. Lissa and I hadn't had a talk like this in forever, and it felt good to talk about this. She sympathized, too, I saw in her mind what she felt for Christian, how she related it to us.

"That must have been so hard. I wish you would've told me, but I get it," She smiled at me reassuringly and squeezed my hand.

"You are really truly amazing, you know that," I sighed.

"Tea's ready," Dimitri called, carrying in a tray of three cups and a cup of honey, setting it down at the small wood coffee table before taking his place next to me. We both stared at him, making him more uncomfortable than he obviously already was.

"What did I do?" He questioned pseudo-innocently. Lissa whipped her gaze over to me and pushed a thought into my head.

_Have you guys… Have you slept together?_ We both blushed, and I nodded. Lissa gave a soft squeal and sent out another question.

_What was it like? He's good, isn't he. Tall, older…_

"Liss, you have no idea," I confessed, still slightly flushed.

_How many times? Who's on top, him, right? He seems like that kind of guy. I know you don't ask me this, but I figure you've seen it, so spill! _She shuddered at the mention of my accidental spying.

"Only once, really. And yeah, he was." I held back a slight smile.

"Wait, what. Are you talking about- Oh my God," Dimitri sputtered. I'd never heard him so _embarrassed_, sounding so flustered. It was kind of endearing. He was even blushing again, twice in as many days, what a record!

"No need to be shy about anything anymore, Dimitri. Lissa and I share _everything_." I smiled up at him, and Lissa gave a feminine snort.

"So, Guardian Belikov…" Lissa glanced at me conspiratorially.

"Yes, Princess?" Dimitri swallowed. He feared her, he was actually scared of my 110 pound best friend.

She leaned in closer and narrowed her eyes at him, "How many other women have you been with?" I looked over to him, eager and scared to hear the answer.

"Well- I mean- I can't- how is this relevant to anything?" That gave me the only answer I needed. I leaned back against the plush back of the couch, "A lot then, huh?"

"No, God, Roza, stop," He cupped my face with his warm hands, "They don't matter because they're not you. I've never felt like _this_," he gestured to the little space between us, "ever before. This is a first for me as well."

"Aww, how sweet, cradle robber," A masculine voice called from the doorway. IT could only be one person.


End file.
